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“Greetings on the occasion of agricultural festival- ‘Nuakhai’. The festival of 'Nuakhai’ is a shining symbol of our cultural, spiritual and social lifestyle. This festival gives a great message to everyone to live together. On this great occasion of today, I bow to Maa Samaleswari for happiness and prosperity of one and all,” Pradhan said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

କୃଷିଭିତ୍ତିକ ଗଣପର୍ବ ‘ନୂଆଁଖାଇ’ର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ।

‘ନୂଆଁଖାଇ’ ଆମର ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ, ଆଧ୍ୟାତ୍ମିକ ଓ ସାମାଜିକ ଜୀବନଧାରାର ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ପ୍ରତୀକ । ଏହି ପର୍ବ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମିଳିମିଶି କରି ରହିବାର ମହତ ବାର୍ତ୍ତା ଦେଉଛି । ଆଜିର ଏହି ମହାନ ଅବସରରେ ମା’ ସମଲେଶ୍ୱରୀଙ୍କ ପାଖରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ସୁଖ ଓ ସମୃଦ୍ଧି କାମନା କରୁଛି । pic.twitter.com/xpA7UGal2L — Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 8, 2024

Notably, the Union Minister is in Sambalpur and is scheduled to attend ‘Nuakhai Bhetghat’ programmes, besides offering prayer at Maa Samaleswari temple in the western Odisha city.

Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh. It is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. It is observed on panchami tithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of the month of Bhadraba (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

As per the customary practice, people offer new grains of crops to the deities before their own consumption. After completing all the rituals, people prepare delicious food and celebrate this festival with great pomp and show.

On the day, each and every member of the family wear new dress and they greet each other, show affection and take blessings from the elderly members of the family. This ritual is popularly known as “Nuakhai Juhar”.

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The festival is observed on Panchami tithi (the fifth day) in the lunar fortnight of Bhadrapada or Bhaadra (August-September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

This year, the Nuakhai festival celebrations began with 'Nabanna' or new crop offering to Goddess Samaleswari in Sambalpur between 9 AM and 9.27 AM and 9.35 AM to 10 AM in Balangir district.

Nua means New and Khai means food so the newly harvested food is offered to the village Goddess by the people of Western Odisha.

After offering Nabanna to the Goddess, the food is distributed among people and they consume it together. After completing all the rituals, people prepare delicious food and celebrate this festival with great pomp and show.

On the day, each and every member of the family wear new dress and they greet each other, show affection and take blessings from the elderly members of the family. This ritual is popularly known as 'Nuakhai Juhar'.

People staying outside visit their houses during the festival. An ambience of religious fervour is marked everywhere in western Odisha during the festival.

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP, Dharmendra Pradhan and other dignitaries extended greetings to the people of Western Odisha and wished Nuakhai – the unique festival of love, devotion and harmony to bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all.

Marking the occasion, CM Majhi will launch the CM Kisan Yojana from Sambalpur today.

The landless farmers who were not covered under PM Kisan Yojana will get the benefit of CM Kisan scheme. Around Rs 4,000 will be given to farmers as assistance in two phases. In the first phase, i.e., on Nuakhai, the farmers will get Rs 2000, and on Akshaya Tritiya, they will receive the remaining half, officials said.

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According to sources, the launching ceremony will take place at Gangadhar Meher University auditorium in Sambalpur this afternoon, in which farmers not covered in Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi will get an assistance of Rs 4,000 in two phases.

The landless farmers who were not covered under PM Kisan Yojana will get the benefit of CM Kisan scheme. Around Rs 4,000 will be given to farmers as assistance in two phases. In the first phase, i.e., on Nuakhai, the farmers will get Rs 2000, and on Akshaya Tritiya, they will receive the remaining half, officials said.

The CM is also slated to attend ‘Nuakhai Bhetghat’ programmes, besides offering prayer at Maa Samaleswari temple here.

Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP, Dharmendra Pradhan; Revenue And Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari; Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Rabi Narayan Naik; Minister of Higher Education, Sports & Youth Services and Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Suryavanshi Suraj, and Sambalpur MLA Jaynarayan Mishra will grace the occasion.

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